 |  Ask for HPV Test
7 Sep 2004
The Gynecologic Cancer Foundation (GCF) has declared September
Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month, a time for women to become
more knowledgeable about gynecological diseases, such as cervical
cancer. According to the GCF, one woman is diagnosed with
gynecologic cancer every seven minutes. Fortunately, notes Women's
Health Connecticut -- the nation's largest women's health practice
-- there are tests available that can identify individuals with
pre-cancerous or cancerous cells at early stages, including a new
diagnostic exam that is not yet widely known. "Cervical cancer is
the only gynecologic cancer that can almost always be prevented if
women are screened regularly, using the most advanced tests
available. Many women don't realize that although the Pap test they
get every year has drastically reduced the number of women who die
from cervical cancer, it doesn't catch everyone soon enough," says
Mark S. DeFrancesco, MD, MBA, chief medical officer for Women's
Health Connecticut. "When screening women 30 years of age or older,
doctors can now order an additional test that boosts our ability to
identify those at risk of cervical cancer to nearly 100 percent.
It's a test for the human papillomavirus (HPV) -- the virus that
causes virtually all cases of cervical cancer. Many doctors are not
screening women 30 years or older for HPV, so it is up to the woman
to request it." Many women are not aware that high-risk types of
HPV are present in virtually all occurrences of cervical cancer,
and that a test for the virus can identify women in need of
treatment before cancer develops -- including those who may be
missed by the Pap. "I lead a healthy lifestyle and had annual Pap
smears that always came back normal. So I was devastated when I was
diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer and had to undergo a
radical hysterectomy," says cervical cancer survivor Tamika Felder.
"Women need to tell their doctor that they'd like to have the HPV
test along with their Pap. It's important to remember that looking
for early warning signs is key, and knowing your HPV status is a
good place to start, along with regular Paps." Approximately 80
percent of all individuals who are sexually active will contract
HPV at some point in their lives. In the majority of women, the
virus is cleared naturally by the body. But in certain cases,
high-risk HPV persists -- sometimes staying dormant in the body for
months or even years before it becomes active, with the potential
to cause cell changes on the cervix that can ultimately become
cancerous. These persistent infections are most commonly found in
women 30 and older. That's why the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration has approved the use of the HPV test for routine
primary screening, along with a Pap, for this age group. The only
high-risk HPV test approved by the FDA to date was developed by
Digene Corp., which markets the test as DNAwithPap(TM) because it
detects the genetic code of the virus. About Women's Health
Connecticut Women's Health Connecticut, based in Avon, Connecticut,
is the nation's largest physician management partnership dedicated
to women's health. Established in 1997, the organization consists
of more than 150 board-certified or board-eligible women's health
physicians and more than 40 additional practitioners, including
certified nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, physician assistants
and advanced practice registered nurses. Women's Health Connecticut
features nearly 70 office locations throughout Connecticut and
serves more than 375,000 patients. The organization is a leader in
offering advanced technology to its patients as well as providing
comprehensive practice management services to physicians while
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